UPDATE September 2022: I have had Long Covid since March 2020 and am not able to work at present.

Please check in again in a few months!

GARDEN DESIGN SERVICES

FLEXIBILITY

I offer a flexible set of services including garden design consultancy, horticultural consultancy, Concept Plans, Detailed Master Plans, and Planting Plans. I can prepare Tender Documents using the same process as an architect uses in order to obtain competitive prices for garden making. I will also work with you to design an area of your garden, such as a border, and will supply plants. All of my services are flexible so get in touch to find out how we can work together.

GARDEN DESIGN AND HORTICULTURAL CONSULTANCY

I am available for garden design consultancy, and horticultural consultancy at an hourly rate.

If you are interested in garden design we will look at your garden together, talk about your lifestyle, wishes and needs and I will make an unscaled sketch plan for your garden during the meeting. This involves a lot of drawing, rubbing out, talking, drawing and rubbing out, and drawing! By the end of the meeting you will have an unscaled sketch plan showing the basis of your garden design. Please contact me to arrange a meeting.

If you wish, after we have met I will send to you a Proposal for Garden Design which includes Brief, firm prices for the stages of garden design, and Terms of Engagement. This Proposal document is a stepping stone to the next stage of design. If you wish to proceed we will arrange for a topographical survey of your garden (also called a land survey).

CONCEPT PLANS

I draw Concept Plans showing the garden design to scale, sketches from key points and other illustrations to help us to visualise the completed garden. These are so helpful because we can all get a clear picture of what the finished garden will look like, and what needs to be done to make it happen. We will meet again and talk through the proposals, and I will hear your feedback.

TENDERING, AND CONSULTANCY DURING GARDEN CONSTRUCTION

When you are 100% happy and confident with the design, I will arrange for competitive quotations for the construction using a transparent tendering process.

As a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers I can supply industry standard contracts to protect both you and the contractor, once the fixed quotations for the work have been received back and a contractor has been nominated.

You may also wish for me to act as your consultant during the construction of the garden helping you to make informed decisions if the need arises.

PLANTING PLANS

A Planting Plan specifies plants which are appropriate to your maintenance requirements, the growing conditions in your garden, and which beautifully work together with the overall design. Plants are named using Latin names and their locations are plotted on the plan. A Planting Schedule is drawn up showing the species names, sizes and quantities required.

Before designing the planting I will make a Plant Palette which shows key plants and a colour scheme for your approval. To me, planting is the most exciting stage, the icing on the cake!

SUPPLY OF PLANTS

I will supply quality plants at competitive prices and set them out in their final planting locations for the contractors to plant, or, if you wish, for you or your gardener to plant.

Occassionally I will plant a small garden but it is usually more cost effective to arrange for your gardener or for landscape contractors to plant. (Also, my back is not what it used to be!)

MASTER PLANS

The Master Plan is the next stage, further refining the design and incorporating your feedback. The Master Plan is a highly detailed drawing, or series of drawings, which includes Constructional Details and Specifications ensuring quality in the materials and work.

As well as ensuring quality these documents also enable truly competitive pricing by ensuring parity: you will be comparing "apples for apples".

And, finally, they form part of the contractual documents between you and the landscape contractor. Since all the materials and work are clearly defined and firmly agreed before work starts, you know what your finished garden will be like.